The chairperson of the Commission of the African Union (AU), H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, has appealed to Ethiopia and her sister country, Somalia, to promote peace and unity by resolving the possible tensions that, according to him, result from the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Ethiopia and Somalia, giving landlocked Ethiopia long-desired access to the Red Sea through Somaliland.

The development was confirmed in a statement released by the chairperson on Thursday, January 4, 2024.

“I advise the two sister countries to engage without delay in a negotiation process to settle their differences in the most constructive, peaceful, and collaborative manner to consolidate and deepen their cooperation to serve peace and security in the region,” Moussa said.

“I call for calm and mutual respect to de-escalate the simmering tension between the governments of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Federal Republic of Somalia. I urge the two countries to refrain from any action that unintentionally may lead to a deterioration of the relations between the two neighboring East African countries,” Moussa added.

He said that it is imperative to respect the unity, territorial integrity, and full sovereignty of all African Union member countries, including Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.

Moussa echoed the importance of adhering to the norms of good neighborliness to promote and consolidate peace, security, and stability in the Horn of Africa region.

In his statement, he pledged that the African Union would stand strongly on their side to encourage an African solution to the new tension.

Tensions between the duo escalated after both governments of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Federal Republic of Somalia signed a MoU on Monday, January 1, 2024, that gave Ethiopia long-desired access to the Red Sea through Somaliland. This move has since been described by political analysts as aggression and a blatant assault on Somalia’s territorial integrity.